Universal Robots UR5e: The tray looks fixed, but the grip looks crooked

RickShift · 13 Aug 2026, 04:23 UTC

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RI
RickShift
We keep nudging pickup points when our Universal Robots UR5e setup gets unreliable at tray-to-fixture transfer with a rigid spacer block in a compact parts transfer workshop. The tray looks like it's in the same place, but the grip seems less square. i'm suspicious of all these tweaks. What should i inspect before blaming the arm or reteaching everything?

14 replies

DA
DanielCarter1000
Replying to RickShift

@RickShift Does the angle change before contact or as the fingers close? Existing footage may help you locate where things start going wrong.

18 points
RI
RickShift
Replying to DanielCarter1000

In the footage, it sits consistently in the checked fixture and turns during gripping. So the crooked position isn't there at the start.

8 points
DA
DanielCarter1000
Replying to RickShift

@RickShift Keep a copy of the current configuration and hold off on further coordinate changes. Under the appropriate isolation procedure, maintenance can use the observed rotation to focus inspection on tooling contact, mounting and tray seating.

4 points
RI
RickShift
Replying to DanielCarter1000

@DanielCarter1000 The maintenance notes show contact pads were replaced before the first point adjustment. That's the first useful clue i've found in the history.

6 points
DA
DanielCarter1000
Replying to RickShift

@RickShift That sounds like the pad replacement caused it. Check the installation against the specified arrangement.

10 points
CH
ChloeBarnes0570
Replying to DanielCarter1000

The sequence makes pad installation worth investigating, but it doesn't establish causation. Fixture variation remains a possible contributor even with that maintenance history.

-5 points
DA
DanielCarter1000
Replying to ChloeBarnes0570

Agreed, I called it too early. Treat the replacement as a lead; verify installation and contact condition alongside tray location before assigning the cause.

16 points
PR
PriyaChen1177
Replying to DanielCarter1000

On my own setup, we found worn contact surfaces and inconsistent tray seating together. Fixing only the pickup point made the symptoms move around

21 points
RI
RickShift
Replying to PriyaChen1177

With multiple point changes already in our history, i'm unsure how to distinguish tooling and tray effects. How did you structure that comparison on your setup?

14 points
PR
PriyaChen1177
Replying to RickShift

We kept a known reference configuration and had maintenance check one condition at a time. We didn't roll back points blindly after finding wear

23 points
JO
JonasChan1068
Replying to PriyaChen1177

Why not just go back to the original points once the gripper's checked? Aren't those the good ones?

19 points
DA
DanielCarter1000
Replying to JonasChan1068

The original points are only a suitable reference if the confirmed tooling, frames and presentation still match. Have the responsible technician review those relationships before planning a supervised check.

4 points
RI
RickShift
Replying to DanielCarter1000

We still haven't established the cause well enough to correct it. i'm keeping further point adjustments on hold instead of guessing at another offset.

6 points
DA
DanielCarter1000
Replying to RickShift

@RickShift Understood. Another offset wouldn't explain the unresolved cause.

5 points

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